Robber sentenced to 5 years in jail

Seven months ago, two men were charged with the armed robbery of a Belize City courier. But tonight only one of those defendants is behind bars. In court this afternoon, the case against twenty-one year old Herman Elijio and twenty-five year old Richard Russell concluded before Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie. Based on the evidence presented by police and the victim, McKenzie agreed with attorney Dickie Bradley that there was not enough proof to convict his client Richard Russell. The court did find that Elijio was guilty of the charge and following his conviction, McKenzie sentenced him to spend the next five years in jail. Elijio, who was undefended during trial, has already indicated he intends to appeal the decision. On the afternoon of February twenty-sixth, former prison superintendent Bernard Adolphus, acting as a courier for Belize Unit Trust, had just left the company’s Central American Boulevard offices when two men armed with an Uzi attacked him. When Adolphus realised the gun didn’t have any bullets, he put up a fight and the duo escaped with only a pack of cheques.